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Duchess
|last_appearance=High Winds |gender=Female |nationality=British |vessel=Ship |type=Ocean Liner |company=Unknown |owner(s)=Unknown }} The Duchess is one of the biggest passenger liners in Bigg City Port. Biography ''TUGS'' When the Duchess first arrived in Bigg City Port, the Star Fleet had the contract to tow her in. Meanwhile, the Z-Stacks had a plan to steal their contract. This plan was to lead Big Mac onto a sandbank while attempting to "help" him with the barge he was towing, so he wouldn't be able to dock the duchess with the other Star tugs. Ten Cents and Sunshine helped dock the Duchess in Big Mac's place, which ultimately caused the Z-Stacks' plan to fail. As one last attempt to get the contract from the Star Fleet, Zorran bumped Sunshine hard and sent him flying into the Duchess' rudder when he thought no one was looking. However, Zorran wasn't aware that Izzy Gomez had witnessed the whole incident. The Zero Fleet were quite pleased with their second attempt. However, the truth soon got out and they ended up losing the contract for the Duchess. Basis The Duchess appears to be based on the RMS Queen Mary and/or the SS Imperator, which was given to the Cunard Line after World War I to replace the RMS Lusitania which was torpedoed of the coast of Ireland in 1915. It was renamed "RMS Berengaria" after the 12th Century English queen of the same name. Like the SS Imperator (RMS Berengaria), the Duchess has three stacks and an open promenade. Behind the Scenes After production ended, the Duchess' model was carried over to the set of TUGS' sister show, Thomas & Friends. She first appeared in the third season, retaining her S.S. Vienna guise for a short while. After the third season, the Duchess was renamed to "S.S. Roxstar" and was given a brand new livery. Her hull was repainted into a solid black without her white and red stripes, while her smokestacks were painted black and white. In this new livery, her superstructure remained white. When Thomas & Friends was converted from traditional models to CGI animation in 2009, the Duchess made her debut in this new style. Albeit in the form of "S.S. Roxstar." After the use of models ceased in 2008, the Duchess' model went into permanent storage. The model would see the light of day again, a mere ten years later. When it was brought out by HiT Entertainment/Mattel Creations and loaned to the The Star Tugs Company for their exhibition at the Midland Railway in Butterley, Derbyshire, UK for display alongside other character models and props used in TUGS. Despite the model being used as various ocean liner characters in TUGS, it remains in its "S.S Roxstar" guise from Thomas & Friends. Top Speed- 30 knots Livery The Duchess has a black hull with red and white lining at the bottom and a white stripe at the top. Her superstructure is white and she also sports three black and red smokestacks. Appearances Episodes * Sunshine (does not speak) * Regatta (stock footage; cameo) (TV version only) * High Tide (cameo) * High Winds (cameo) Books and Annuals * Kidnapped (mentioned) * Nothing to Declare (mentioned) Trivia * She is painted in the same livery as Princess Alice. * The Duchess' model was on loan to the Star Tugs Trust until 2019, in the form of "S.S. Roxstar." * In an interview with Jeremy King conducted by Sodor Island Fansite (SiF), King recounted a number facts regarding the Duchess' model: ** The model was described as very light, as it was made from plywood. ** The model is said to be around 4 feet long. However, this may be incorrect as when it is seen in its S.S. Vienna guise alongside Hercules in Bigg Freeze, it appears to be almost 3-4 times Hercules' length. This would make her model around 12 feet long. ** A model-maker from Germany built her and brought her over by vehicle. * The Duchess, Princess Alice, and S.S. Vienna share the same model. ** The three ocean liners also share the same horn sound: Gallery TUGS Television Series File:Sunshine131.png File:Sunshine142.png File:Sunshine152.png File:Sunshine163.png File:Sunshine165.png File:Sunshine172.png Miscellaneous File:S.S.ViennaModel.png|The Duchess' model in the form of "S.S. Roxstar" Category:Characters Category:Faceless Characters Category:Non-speaking Characters Category:Protagonists Category:Other Boats Category:Ocean liners Category:Female Characters Category:Ships